Vanisher, Horizon Scraper is the fourth studio album by the American musician Quadeca. It was released on July 25, 2025, via Quadeca's own label, X8 Music, marking his first release after leaving DeadAir Records. Released as the follow up to his third studio album I Didn't Mean to Haunt You (2022), it was preceded by the singles "Godstained", "Monday", and "Forgone". The album contains features by Olēka, Danny Brown, and Maruja.
In contrast to the "ghost in purgatory" concept and themes of suicide ideation of his previous third studio album I Didn't Mean to Haunt You, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper narrates a sailor venturing on sea after an apocalypse until his demise in the ocean akin to Moby-Dick, while sonically blending folktronica with art pop, hip-hop, and influences from bossa nova and M.I.A.. A film accompaniment to the album was also released a day prior to the album, being directed, produced, edited, and starred by Quadeca, and was shot in the Philippines, Greece, and Oregon. Thematically, it focuses on the sailor from daybreak to midnight with color fusions on specific tracks.
The album received mixed-to-positive reviews from music critics, with praise directed to the album's concept and experimental production, though some found the pacing and lyricism to be "hazy". To promote the album, Quadeca sold additional merchandise items from a photo book to a Bakunawa plush, and toured in North America and Europe between October and December 2025. Commercially, the album performed on two Billboard charts, the North American College and Community Radio Chart, two UK charts, and the Scottish Albums Chart.
Background
On November 10, 2022, Quadeca released his third studio album I Didn't Mean to Haunt You to critical acclaim from The Needle Drop[1] and Spill.[2] After a series of Scrapyard EPs,[3] he released the project as a whole mixtape on February 16, 2024, also to critical acclaim.[4] In 2025, Quadeca collaborated on several tracks with and was a co-executive producer[5] of Kevin Abstract's studio album Blush (2025), released on June 27, 2025 through the former's label X8.[6][3]
Production and composition
Overview
Quadeca performing in 2024
Vanisher, Horizon Scraper is a folktronica album,[3] with elements of electronica,[7]experimental hip-hop[8][9] and art pop,[10] It is 69 minutes long and there are fourteen tracks on the album,[11] with three guest appearances from Danny Brown, Olēka, and Maruja,[12] and it being his first album on his own label, X8 Music, after leaving DeadAir, citing creative control for the album as a significant reason.[13] Sonically, the album blends unusual genre elements in an ethereal way, combining "folk, strings, hip-hop, and electronica" in a way "truly unique," immersive, and cinematic.[9] First conceptualized in January 2023 and worked alongside Scrapyard,[14] Quadeca produced and wrote the whole album, and played guitar, bass, piano, synth, percussion, and drums.[15] He was inspired by Brazilian bossa nova and M.I.A. during the album's production, stating the latter combined electronic hip-hop with drums from Southeast Asia and Africa.[16] In its production, Quadeca revealed on Clash that he would make "hundreds of final versions" of his tracks, then send it to his friends by asking which version is better.[14]
Compared to I Didn't Mean to Haunt You, which is based on a ghost in purgatory and themes of suicide ideation, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper is a "more complicated album, more existential, a bit more whimsical and fun too," based on love, isolation, and identity as an artist according to Quadeca.[17] Narratively, the concept album is based on a sailor whose obsession motivates them to sail the sea after an apocalypse, highlighting his voyage[3] before his demise in the ocean akin to Moby-Dick.[9] Quadeca's motive on choosing the sea as the album's narrative theme is based on the idea of a person facing something bigger than themselves and having "no control over",[14] describing it as not just capturing the spirit of freedom, but the "scary, angry, and lost" aspect of alienation.[12] The writing of the album focuses on alienation "partly self-imposed."[9] Quadeca furthered described the album in an interview with WUNC FM as a "metaphorical, metaphysical journey or chasing something that you can never reach, and losing yourself in the process."[8] Juan Gutierrez of Flood Magazine described it as a blend of "dark, folky soundscapes" with electronic production and "bobs sprinked in,"[9] and Desmond Leake of Paste described it as a combination of "warbly, depressive vocals" and ambient production that create a fitting atmosphere for the "requiem of the ghost", considering the narration to be as intimate as the production.[3]
An extinct volcano at Camiguin, a small island in the Philippines, where majority of the visual album was filmed
For the album's visual compliment, Quadeca learned how to sail before filming. He directed, wrote, edited, and starred in the 67-minute production.[12][3] With the help of Oregon-based photographer Brendon Burton,[13] it was filmed at Camiguin, a small island in the Philippines.[8] Quadeca's inspiration to film there points to the Sunken Cemetery, submerged in water after the eruption of Mount Vulcan on May 1, 1871,[18][19] causing the tides to overtake and sink it.[8] He described it as surreal and "sad and apocalyptic", aligning with the place where the album concludes.[8] Quadeca and his team filmed in at Greece and Oregon, also taking photographs for the album's photo book compliment.[13] Thematically in the film, the film progresses from daybreak to midnight,[20] and fuses color with tone and story, including "Casper" as red and orange, "Waging War" as blue and purple, "Godstained" as orange and yellow, and "No Questions Asked" as yellow and blue.[12] Quadeca considered that his motive for making films based on his albums is to "bring all of the images in my head" so viewers can comprehend his concepts more.[8] He also recorded multiple audio recordings while on sail and sampled various YouTube videos of ocean noises.[14]
Despite being a concept album, he did not emphasize it as a concept, but by every track on contrasts and collage rather than "continuity and sonic adhesion," wanting to use the sea voyage narrative as a canvas for exploration in each track. This resulted in a similar resemblance to Scrapyard than I Didn't Mean to Haunt You.[12] During the album's production, Quadeca used various samples and ideas from a folder, and was inspired to combine world music with "pop melodies and hip-hop structures."[12] Similar to the process of I Didn't Mean to Haunt You, Quadeca did not listen to Vanisher, Horizon Scraper from front to back until it was finished, when "every song had its spot."[12] Learning from the experience from working on his previous album, it influenced him to make sure every song is final, as he became more sensitive about their execution.[12]
Tracks
Danny Brown (pictured in 2017) is featured as a guest artist in "The Great Bakunawa"
The opening track, "No Questions Asked", loops the first three seconds of Chico Buarque's 1971 album Construção,[3][10] accompanied by an acoustic instrumental arrangement with multitracked vocal harmonies[23] in "classical, electronic and folk-driven" form.[21] In the track, the line "I'll be there when no one is" is repeated as the song ends with sound effects of waves crashing on the shore,[24] emphasizing the album's theme of a voyager crossing the sea.[21] It is also the first track Quadeca recorded for the album.[17] The second track, "Waging War", features Olēka and blends "flamenco dance-clops with Lex Luger snares" under flute, string, and piano instrumentation.[3][10] The track progresses with arpeggiated synth music and "surreal effects" onto a final rap verse where Quadeca raps about the choice of life over death.[25]
The third track, "Ruin My Life", is an experimental[21] acoustic ballad in triple metre (3 4), based on themes of youth, love, and mortality, expressed through lyrics such as "might have to ruin my life to make it mine"[26] and with psychedelic flourishes "centered by a beating folk heart."[21] Its bridge is led by Harry Wilkinson from the English rock band Maruja[8] as the strings gradually become more frantic.[3] The fourth track, "Godstained", considered the most difficult track to produce by Quadeca,[13] blends its acoustic sound with R&B, bossa nova, and jazz[21] between the melodies and chord progressions, also containing woodwind instruments.[22] In the track, Quadeca sings about finding a message in a bottle at sea, only to find it lacking significance.[21]
Transitioning seamlessly onto the fifth track, "At a Time Like This", building in a more progressive and cloud rap[21] sound with multi-tracked vocals and woodwind instruments, filling in with horns and swirling arpeggios.[27] The sixth track, "Monday", is an avant-pop[7] and baroque pop ballad.[28] The seventh track, "Dancing Without Moving", mixes baroque pop with hip-hop, with the lyrics being about going through regrets and rejections[29] while his voice flows front and center.[12] The eighth track, "That's Why", is a fusion of hip-hop and indie pop[21] that samples "Samoa", a 70s erotic film track composed by Baldan Bembo.[10] The track was recorded with two different microphones by singing in-between them, then later panning the vocals to each side as to mimic someone streaming on a deck.[12] Layered with strings, the track progresses the album's introspection in a dark tone,[30] continuing themes of existential crisis from the previous track.[31] Following the ninth track, "I Dream About Sinking", an instrumental interlude,[32] the tenth track, "Natural Causes", features Quadeca singing about escaping a psychic torment he can't get out of.[10]
"Casper", a post-rock and art punk track, portrays Harry Wilkinson from Maruja as God, while the melodies of "No Questions Ask" play on the background.[33][21]
The eleventh track, "Thundrrr", is an experimental hip-hop track that contains oversaturated vocals and distorted sound effects, marking a turning point on the album where Quadeca is uncertain about his journey.[34] The twelfth track, "The Great Bakunawa", shows Detroit-based rapper[8]Danny Brown rapping from the viewpoint of a Bakunawa dragon, a serpent in Philippine mythology,[35] under harsh textures and a bossa nova drum sample time-stretched and compressed.[12] During production, after Quadeca showed Brown "all of the Bakunawa lore," he wrote and recorded his verse in three takes by the next morning.[17] The thirteenth track, "Forgone", marks a contrast to its two previous tracks, reminiscent of a sad piano ballad under orchestral production.[36][3]
The fourteenth and final track, "Casper", contains melodies from its first track, "No Questions Asked", and evolves into an "experimental post-rockart punk rager" with Harry Wilkinson from Maruja as a guest artist,[33] as he speaks as the voice of God.[21] Reassuring him that "heaven's open wide, it's hell on earth he knows",[21] Quadeca finally accepts his immediate death.[10] In the track's production, Quadeca made the outro, where it concludes with a sound of water swallowing and spitting him out, and initially wrote a spoken-word segment for the track, but wasn't "believable enough" to him. He sent the song directly to Maruja, asking if they want to record the segment.[12]
Promotion and release
Quadeca first teased Vanisher, Horizon Scraper in February 2024, at the end of the music video for "Way Too Many Friends" from his mixtape Scrapyard. On March 25, 2025, he officially released the album's lead single, "Godstained", alongside a music video in which he portrays himself as a sailor.[37] On April 22, he released the album's second single "Monday", also alongside a music video.[38] The same day, he announced a headlining US tour in support of the album, which began in October and concluded in November.[39] On June 11, he revealed the album's official cover art designed by Digiyams.[40][11] The following day, he released the album's third single, "Forgone", alongside a music video, and officially announced the album's release window of July,[41] also announcing the album would be available to order digitally, as well as on vinyl, CD, and cassette, via Quadeca's official website.[42]
On June 16, a UK/EU continuation of the "Vanisher, Horizon Scraper Tour" was announced, which occurred in December 2025.[43] On July 21, Quadeca premiered the album's accompaniment film at Nitehawk Cinema in New York City.[20] It was later released on his YouTube channel on July 24, just a day preceding his release.[44] On July 25, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper was released by Quadeca's label, X8 Music, to streaming services, vinyl, cassette, and CD.[8] In vinyl prints, the album has multiple variants, each having exclusive tracks on their D-sides, making them more valuable.[13] His website also sold collectible items including a cap, flag, compass, necklace, photo book, and Bakunawa plushie with a soundbox.[45]
Vanisher, Horizon Scraper has been met with mostly mixed to positive reviews from critics. Anthony Fantano from The Needle Drop concluded his review stating "it's very much an album I loved and see myself coming back to numerous tracks from."[48] Praise for the album was given to the album's concept, as well as production,[49] although some noted the production to be excessive. Desmond Leake of Paste noted "Unfortunately, most of these production tricks become less appealing as the album drags on."[3] Some critics noted the album's conceptual similarity to Moby Dick, Kieran Press-Reynolds of Pitchfork describing the album as "if Ahab were the last man on Earth and a 24-year-old with a neat puff of chin beard who’s beloved by Rate Your Music".[10]
Arman Savena of The Rice Thresher praised the album for its experimental production, themes of self-discovery and emotional reckoning, and the vulnerable weight in Quadeca's songwriting.[21] Ljubinko Zivkovic of Spill considers the album to be complicated on paper, but isn't in "the mind and hands of Quadeca" though sophisticated melodies and production arrangements.[47] Frequent criticism was directed at the album's pacing,[50] as well as lyricism, with Kieran Press-Reynolds of Pitchfork stating that while the narrative was done well, many verses "still come out hazy."[10]
All tracks written and produced by Benjamin Lasky, unless noted otherwise. All tracks are stylized in all caps excluding songs 17-19 which are in lowercase
↑Vanisher, Horizon Scraper (Vinyl/CD liner notes). Quadeca. X8 Music. 2025. X8-002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) A viewable copy is available at Quadeca - Vanisher, Horizon Scraper, July 25, 2025, retrieved February 10, 2026.
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